Govt working to provide permanent solultion: Khandre

Hassan: Lamenting over human-elephant conflict, forest minister Eshwar Khandre has said the state govt is working towards a permanent solution. The minister was speaking after visiting the family members of one Anil, who died in an elephant attack, at Bikkodu in Belur taluk on Monday.
The increase in the number of elephants in Hassan and Kodagu districts, along with the rise in casualties, is a matter of great concern. In this regard, govt is actively working towards providing a permanent solution to the elephant menace in both the districts, Khandre said. The minister also said he would discuss with the chief minister Siddaramaiah to secure more relief for the family of the deceased.
Khandre said, since becoming the forest minister, this was his fifth visit to Hassan, where several plans have been formulated to reduce human-wildlife conflict. A control room has been established in Hassan to monitor elephant movements. In the past two years, Rs 31.6 crore was released for installing railway barricades. Efforts to capture and relocate rogue elephants and fit them with radio collars were also undertaken, he explained.
Human-animal conflict is an old issue and it requires a non-political, collective effort to find a solution, Khandre said, expressing grief over the fact that three people fell victim to elephant attacks in Hassan district within a month. There are hundreds of elephants in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan districts. Such elephants will be relocated to the proposed elephant sanctuary in Bhadra, and the initiative requires Rs 100 crore, and additional funding is expected in the budget, he said.
Instructions have been given to establish an elephant task force office, complete with necessary equipment, vehicles, and additional staff, at Belur and Sakleshpura.
Elephants to be rescued soon
The forest department staff have identified four elephants responsible for human deaths in the Belur region, and instructions have been given to capture them. Capturing elephants is not an easy task and involves significant risk. Trained kumki elephants and veterinarians are required for such operations. It is known that Arjuna, the elephant that carried the golden howdah during the Dasara procession, was martyred during one such operation. Exercising caution is essential, Khandre said.
MP Shreyas Patel, MLAs Rajegowda, H K Suresh, former minister B Shivaram, and principal chief conservator of forests Meenakshi Negi, among others were present.